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White, Berger battle to the end for W-H boys title

ORRVILLE -- The scenic 3.1-mile course at Wayne College took cross country runners at the Wayne-Holmes Invitational past a cornfield and two ponds, through woods and even a stretch near the old Wayne County Airport Saturday morning.

By the time the boys runners wrapped back around for the homestretch next to Smucker Road, the race between Wooster sophomore Kevin White and Northwestern junior Shane Berger was still far from being decided.

Berger made up a big mid-race gap to pass White with 500 meters left, but White found the energy to get back in front with 300 meters remaining and sprint home for as exciting a finish to win a cross country race as fans will ever see. White won in a personal-record time of 16:17, with Berger right behind in his own PR clocking of 16:18.

"I was in front by a lot, but Shane had a lot of courage and he came up and he passed me," said White, who improved from seventh at the meet last year. "I just kind of decided that I was going to go with him and try to get him around the pole. I just kind of took off."

It was the middle of the teams' packs that decided the team champion, though, and gave West Holmes its first championship at the W-H Invite.

Knights senior Cully Gordon dropped from second at the W-H Invite a year ago to fourth (16:41), but his placement helped West Holmes beat defending champion Wooster 48-55 for the title.

"Our boys ran really well even though they were all complaining of tired legs today," Beachy said. "Based on the times they ran well.

"They really wanted it, went out and packed well and I think they did a great job today."

Gordon was probably the favorite coming into the meet as he was the highest returning W-H placer, won the OCC Meet and is a two-time state qualifier and reigning Daily Record Runner of the Year.

Beachy isn't worried, though, after Gordon wasn't able to keep pace with the leaders.

"The other guys were better today," Beachy said. "Cully said his legs felt tired, but we're really working hard right now in practices because we felt like we peaked a little early last year. We're kind of maintaining right now and we'd like to peak in a few weeks at districts and regionals."

White and Berger will take a good deal of confidence from the race going forward as teams prepare for league and district meets.

"It's pretty meaningful," White said. "I've only won two races, with this being one of them. It's pretty big."

Berger and White commended each other afterward on their exciting race. "I'm never really angry after I don't do as well as I want," Berger said. "I'm disappointed in myself that I didn't work harder earlier in my practices to have the finish when I needed it."

Wooster had Zach Humrichouser deliver a standout run in third (17:29) and Kalten Walker was eighth (16:52), but uncharacteristically no other Generals were able to crack the top 20. The top-10 placers were awarded first-team All-Wayne-Holmes status, while the 11-20 finishers were second team.

"We have some things we need to take care of," Wooster coach Doug Bennett said. "We are not running to our capabilities as a team, so we're going to work on that this week.

"I'm excited for Kevin to win the race and for Humrichouser to take third and they both PR'd. Kalten Walter running a P.R. in eighth is good, too, but our No. 4-7 spots just have to do a better job. They can and I think that they will."

The team runner-up finish was easier to accept for Bennett after watching White take the individual first.

"Kevin is a competitor and I admire his ability not to let himself get too high when he runs real well and not to beat himself up if he doesn't run well," Bennett said. "I think that helps him when he races because he gets out there and never feels like anything is out of his reach.

"He knows he has a great 800-meter kick because that's what he does in the spring and he used that to his advantage."